Give Your Child a Week to...
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Nestled in the scenic beauty of nature, our camp fosters personal growth, self-discovery, and spiritual development in a safe, welcoming environment.
Play Outside
At Gretna Glen, we believe in the power of play, the importance of faith, and the joy of being outdoors. Join us this summer and experience the essence of camp—a place where adventure, friendship, faith, and fun come together to create unforgettable memories.
Be a Kid
Whether it’s around the campfire, on the ropes course, at the archery range, at the craft cave, in the pool or on the lake, campers are inspired to try new things, challenge themselves, and grow in confidence—while learning about God’s love and the importance of community.
Reasons to send your child to Gretna Glen!
- Grow in faith – Campers often remark that at camp they feel closer to God.
- Spend their day being physically active – Camp is action!
- Make true friends – Everyday, camp creates friendships.
- Reconnect with nature – Camp get kids back outside.
- Learn social skills – Camp builds teamwork.
- Have time for unstructured play – At camp we play!
- Grow more independent – Camp helps kids develop who they are.
- Develop life-long skills – Camp expands every child’s abilities.
- Unplug from technology – Camp is real!
- Gain resiliency – Camp helps conquer fears.
- Experience success and become more confident – Camp teaches kids that they can.
Gretna Glen Camp offers more than just a fun summer experience—it’s a place where children and youth create lasting memories, build confidence, and form lifelong friendships, all while growing in their Christian faith. With a variety of exciting activities, including swimming, boating, archery, outdoor adventures, and creative fun, every day at Gretna Glen is an opportunity for exploration, learning, and deepening faith.
Gretna Glen is owned and operated by The Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of The United Methodist Church. While Gretna Glen serves the majority of our camper population from our local community we do have attendees from all over Pennsylvania and neighboring states. Campers come from many different denominations or have no church affiliation. We welcome all children and youth to come experience summer camp at Gretna Glen. Every child deserves a week of camp.
Our dedicated staff ensures that every camper is supported, encouraged, and empowered to reach their full potential.
Summer 2025 PhotosProfessionalism Matters
We are Intentional
Our year round staff has decades of experience and has trained specifically to be camp professionals. Every program is developed with intention and built with the whole camper in mind.
We are Secure
Safety of Gretna Glen summer campers and guests is taken very seriously. In order to meet rigid safety guidelines, we carefully select staff members and volunteers through an application and interview process. Prior to hiring, each employee must complete all clearances required by state and federal Child Protective Services Laws. Staff and volunteers are provided extensive training using the Ministry Safe on-line training course and in-person workshops including health and safety guidelines.
We are Accredited
Gretna Glen is accredited by the American Camp Association. To earn accreditation, Gretna Glen complies with more than 300 health, safety and program quality standards. This accreditation is vital to the safety of our campers and guests while holding us to a high standard of excellence.
We are Members
We are members of the United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries Association.
Camp Activities
Gretna Glen offers a wide array of age appropriate activities for all of our campers. All activities are supervised by trained staff and volunteers who make camper safety the first priority. Each program has a unique schedule that includes specialty program activities to enhance the camper experience. All overnight campers have an afternoon “choice time” where they are able to choose between archery (for 3-12th grade programs), boating, crafts, fishing, games, or swimming. Other scheduled activities may include nature study, hiking, bouldering, sports, teambuilding, climbing tower, personal challenge course, high challenge course, campfire, worship, drama, creek stomping, outdoor cooking and more! All campers will also enjoy daily Bible Discovery time.
Trips
Gretna Glen uses off- site opportunities to enhance the programming we offer at camp. Program descriptions listed with a van icon will include off site trips. All offsite trips are day trips. Activity, transportation, and meal expenses are included in the camp fee. A few of our trip locations will have an option for additional trip money from home to be sent along with the camper for souvenir type purchases. Any special trip money will be collected on Sunday at registration.
Please note that all activities and experiences on Gretna Glen offsite trips are experienced at a level that welcomes beginners and encourages growth in each activity. This includes all horseback riding, canoeing, water sports, and biking. All risks have been assessed and all emergency procedures have been developed for each offsite trip.
Activities
Housing
Overnight housing is either in the Raab lodge, our main-site cabins, or our Wilderness Ridge Outpost site (cabins and tents or similar). You will see housing listed on the program description page for each program.
The Raab Lodge is ideal for our younger campers as it sleeps up to 36 campers with bathrooms right inside the building and feels a bit more like home.
The Cabins each sleep up to 12 campers and utilize our Mainsite Showerhouse which was just built in 2018. This experience is the classic camp fun.
The Ridge Outpost experience is rustic camping, where you may be sleeping in cabins or a tent-like structure. These campers come into mainsite for many activities and at least one meal a day, but get to have a true wilderness experience.
Meals
Meals will be served family style in the dining hall. This means campers will work together to serve one another (go up for refills, set tables, etc.) in Christian community. On occasion we will serve campers on a buffet line. Campers will eat with their camp program. We may have a special occasion that they would eat a meal over a campfire or have a bagged lunch on a hike as part of a specific program experience.
Please contact our office to discuss how we can partner with you if you have a camper with food allergies.
Tiered Pricing
Understanding Tiered Pricing
To keep camp accessible for as many families as possible, we use a voluntary tiered pricing model. Each family chooses the tier that best fits their financial situation—no application and no questions asked. All campers receive the same high-quality camp experience, regardless of the tier selected.
Tier 1 –Partially Subsidized Cost:
This subsidized rate is made possible through donations and support from the United Methodist Church. Choose this tier if your family needs it—we are happy to offer it.
Tier 2 – Direct Cost of Camp:
This partially subsidized rate reflects our effort to keep camp affordable while covering most costs.
Tier 3 – True Cost of Camp:
This tier reflects the true per-camper cost of running camp, including staff, meals, program supplies, and facility upkeep.
No Matter What You Choose
Your tier selection is confidential and has no impact on your child’s program experience. Tiered Pricing simply allows families to make a choice based on their financial means while supporting our shared mission: ensuring that every child who wants to experience the joy of summer camp has the opportunity to do so.
Discount & Financial Information
Refer-a-Friend Discount
If your camper attended a Gretna Glen summer camp last summer, you may receive a discount on this year’s registration for each new camper you refer who attends a Gretna Glen Summer Camp program.
You will receive:
- Refer 1 new camper = $25 off
- Refer 2 new campers = $50 off
- Refer 3 new campers = $100 off
- Refer 4 new campers = $200 off
How it works:
- You must list the friend(s) you are referring on your registration.
- The new camper must also list your name as the returning camper who referred them.
Multi-Child Family Discount
Families sending more than one child to a Gretna Glen summer camp will receive the following discount:
- 2nd child = $20 off
- 3rd child = $30 off
- 4th child = $40 off
- 5th child = $50 off
Early Bird Discount
Register by February 1 to receive $25 off per camper.
Deposit Policy Day Camp Deposit is $50 Overnight Camp Deposit is $100
All balances must be paid by noon on the Friday prior to the camp week unless other arrangements have been made with us. This is to help with housing assignments and the check in process. Payments can be made online through our registration software or by mail.
Volunteer Discounts Adults who volunteer as a day camp counselor may receive $50.00 off of one of their child’s registration fees. Adults volunteering as a counselor for an overnight camp may receive $100.00 off of one of their child’s registration fees. (All volunteers must complete Gretna Glen’s application, clearance and training process).
Cancellation Policy-If cancelling MORE than 30 days prior to your scheduled program.
Notice of cancellation must be made in writing and sent to
or by mail.
Refund will be the amount paid minus the deposit. (deposits are non-refundable)
If cancelling LESS than 30 days prior to your schedule program.
There will be no refund for cancellations within 30 days of the camp session.
*Medical Exception: Full refund will only be given if, prior to the camp program, the camp office receives a signed doctor’s note.
Financial Support The camping program of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference provides limited funding for children and youth whose families have need of financial assistance. Camper families who cannot afford the full fee should first contact their local United Methodist Church about scholarship support. If the camper’s family and local church cannot assist with the event cost, the family should check the box on the registration form to request a scholarship application. Scholarship Funds have been made available through the Nancy A. Raab Memorial Fund and donations made by friends of Gretna Glen. Scholarships will be awarded based on needs as funds are available.
Do I need to pay a deposit to submit my camper’s registration? What if I am requesting financial assistance through Gretna Glen?
Our first choice is for each family to pay the camper deposit at the time of registration, even if you are applying for financial assistance. If this is an issue for your family, please call our office and we can set up a special payment plan for the deposit.
I am applying for financial assistance for my camper through Gretna Glen. When will I know if my camper has been awarded any funds?
We typically contact the family within 2-3 weeks of receiving a scholarship request form.
How much assistance should I expect to receive?
Scholarship funds are awarded based on financial need with the intention of assisting with one week of camp per child. The average that is awarded for an overnight camper is $100 and for a day camper is $50. We will always do our best to partner with you in getting your child(ren) to camp.
My church/agency is paying a portion of my camper’s registration. Why is that payment not reflected on the amount due at the time of registration?
If your church/agency is financially supporting your camper, please include that amount on the Camper Information Form that you complete during registration. Once we have received your registration, our registrar will manually apply that payment to your account. Please keep in mind that you are responsible for contacting your church/agency to request financial assistance and to confirm the amount that will be provided prior to your registration.
Can I use the Referral Discount for a camper’s younger sibling(s)?
No, the Referral Discount is designed to be used when a returning camper refers a new camper that is not in the same household. For siblings, please only apply our Multi-Child Discount.
When will a referral discount be applied?
Referral Discounts are manually applied once we have processed the registration(s) of the referred camper(s).
Host a Camp Sunday
Are you a member of a local church who would like to host a "Camp Sunday" to highlight summer at Gretna Glen?
